On April 4, 2015 in South Carolina, Slager fired eight shots at Scott’s back as he was running away after getting pulled over for a broken taillight. After video footage of the incident went viral and gained national attention, the incident was widely deemed as another case of excessive use of force and police brutality against black citizens, standing amidst several other cases of unarmed black citizens killed by the hands of police officers—including Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Freddy Gray—and sparking nationwide protests.

The North Charleston Police Department fired Slager after the incident, and was jailed April 7. If convincted, Slager can potentially face 30 years to life in person. A trial date has not yet been set.